Public Comment at School Board Meetings

How to sign up for public comment

• Members of the public interested in submitting public comment during Board meetings may sign up by email or in person. Only 10 speaking opportunities will be available during each Board meeting. Public comment is accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis. 
• To sign up by email, please send an email message to Leatrice Jones at LLJones02@bcps.k12.md.us between 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. on the day of a Board meeting. Only comments submitted during that timeframe will be accepted or until 10 speaking opportunities have been submitted. Emails must include your name, address, email address, telephone number (if applicable), school/civic/community affiliation, and reasoning for public comment.
• Types of email submissions:
  • A written email message no longer than 400 words that will be read aloud by Board staff
  • An email message attaching your three-minute video that will be broadcasted during the Board meeting
  • A written email message stating your request to give public comment virtually or in person during the live meeting.
• To sign up in person, visit the North Avenue headquarters building between 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. on the day of a Board meeting. After checking in at the front desk, you may visit the Re-Engagement Center where a member of the CEO’s Ombudsman’s office will come and record your request for public comment.

Tips for making public comment

• Please only address agenda items or items of educational interest.
• No speaker may air employee grievances, make complaints on behalf of individual students, or discuss any matters that might come before the Board for appeal.
• Groups must designate one person to speak on their behalf. No more than one entry on the sign-up sheet will be recognized for any group.
• Speakers may not yield their time to another individual.
• Each speaker shall be limited to three minutes, and an audible warning shall be given at the conclusion of the three minutes of the allotted time.
• The Board Chair can rule public comments as "out of order" if the speaker verbally and personally attacks a school district employee or Board member or if comments stray from the agenda item or topic on which the person signed up to speak. Comments made after the speaker is ruled out of order are not included as part of the formal record of the meeting.
• A person attending the meeting may not engage in any conduct that disrupts the meeting, or that interferes with the right of members of the public to attend and observe the meeting.
• Translation services for public comment participants can be available in the following languages (Spanish, French, Arabic, Swahili, and Tigrigna) and will be offered for public board meetings.
• Members of the public joining the call are asked to mute their phones and turn their videos off upon joining. Anyone joining who fails to do so may be muted by the call moderator or removed from the call.

The public is invited to attend Operations, Policy, and Teaching and Learning Committee Meetings. 

• Operations Committee: Generally meets on the third Tuesday of the month, from 10:30 to 12:15 p.m. 
• Policy Committee: Generally meets on the third Tuesday of the month, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 
• Teaching and Learning Committee: Generally meets on the first Tuesday of the month, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. 

How to sign up for public comment

• Five people or groups can sign up for public comment during Board committee meetings.
• To sign up, you should contact the Board office three business days before the date of a Committee Meeting. Meaning comments are accepted between 9:00 a.m. Thursday and 5:00 p.m. Monday before the scheduled meeting date.
• Sign up for public comment is not available on the day of the meeting.

Tips for making public comment

• Please only address agenda items, policy-related issues, or items of educational interest.
• No speaker may air employee grievances, make complaints on behalf of individual students, or discuss any matters that might come before the Board for appeal.
• Groups must designate one person to speak on their behalf. No more than one entry on the sign-up sheet will be recognized for any group.
• Speakers may not yield their time to another individual.
• Each speaker shall be limited to three minutes, and an audible warning shall be given at the conclusion of the three minutes of the allotted time.
• The Board Chair can rule public comments as "out of order" if the speaker verbally and personally attacks a school district employee or Board member or if comments stray from the agenda item or topic on which the person signed up to speak. Comments made after the speaker is ruled out of order are not included as part of the formal record of the meeting.
• A person attending the meeting may not engage in any conduct that disrupts the meeting, or that interferes with the right of members of the public to attend and observe the meeting.
• Translation services for public comment participants can be available in the following languages (Spanish, French, Arabic, Swahili, and Tigrigna) and will be offered for public board meetings.
• Members of the public joining the call are asked to mute their phones and turn their videos off upon joining. Anyone joining who fails to do so may be muted by the call moderator or removed from the call.

How to sign up for public comment

• Members of the public interested in submitting public comment for Board forums may sign up in person unless otherwise specified. Up to 15 speaking opportunities will be available during each Board forum. Public comment is accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis. 
• To sign up in person, please visit the event location and register during the first 30 minutes of the forum. District staff will assist you and record your request.
• If the Board forum is hosted virtually, the public can sign up for public comment by email. Please send an email message to Leatrice Jones at LLJones02@bcps.k12.md.us during the first 30 minutes of the forum. Only comments submitted during that timeframe will be accepted or until 15 speaking opportunities have been submitted. Emails must include your name, address, email address, telephone number (if applicable), school/civic/community affiliation, and agenda topic.
• Types of email submissions:
  • A written email message no longer than 400 words that will be read aloud by Board staff
  • An email message attaching your three-minute video that will be broadcasted during the Board meeting
  • A written email message stating your request to give public comment virtually or in person during the live meeting.

Tips for making public comment

• Please only address agenda items or items of educational interest.
• No speaker may air employee grievances, make complaints on behalf of individual students, or discuss any matters that might come before the Board for appeal.
• Groups must designate one person to speak on their behalf. No more than one entry on the sign-up sheet will be recognized for any group.
• Speakers may not yield their time to another individual.
• Each speaker shall be limited to three minutes, and an audible warning shall be given at the conclusion of the three minutes of the allotted time.
• The Board Chair can rule public comments as "out of order" if the speaker verbally and personally attacks a school district employee or Board member or if comments stray from the agenda item or topic on which the person signed up to speak. Comments made after the speaker is ruled out of order are not included as part of the formal record of the meeting.
• A person attending the meeting may not engage in any conduct that disrupts the meeting, or that interferes with the right of members of the public to attend and observe the meeting.
• Translation services for public comment participants can be available in the following languages (Spanish, French, Arabic, Swahili, and Tigrigna) and will be offered for public board meetings.
• Members of the public joining the call are asked to mute their phones and turn their videos off upon joining. Anyone joining who fails to do so may be muted by the call moderator or removed from the call.